Morelia and Pátzcuaro

We took advantage of Reed's 4-day weekend in March and headed for Morelia (pop. 593k), in the state of Michoacan.  Morelia was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1991 because of it's many well-preserved colonial buildings.  It was one of the first Spanish cities in Nueva España (after the Spanish invaded México) and was named Valladolid after the Spanish city of the same name.  After México gained it's independence from Spain, it was renamed Morelia in honor of local hero José Maria Morelos y Pavón, a key figure in Mexico's independence movement.  It still looks very Spanish and has a city ordinance that requires all new construction in the city center be done in the colonial style.

While there, we visited the georgeous Catedral, the Zócalo, several churches, the Museo del Estado (state museum), the Museo Regional Michoacano (regional museum), the Palacio Clavijero/Mercado de Dulces (candy market) and the Casa de Las Artesanías (local artists).  We were able to see a concert on Friday night at the birth home of Morelos.  The group was Purépecha (direct descendants of the Tarascans (14th century) who were western Mexico's

most advanced pre-Hispanic civilization) and played beautiful traditional music and were dressed in traditional clothing.

While walking through the Zócalo at night we were able to see a drum group with dancers, Flamenco dancing, and the "Danza de Los Viejitos" (young people dressed like old people who dance a crazy kind of tap dance.  It is a dance to honor older people and is quite funny to watch). 

On Sunday, we took a bus to Pátzcuaro (pop. 49k), which is another colonial town in the heart of Purépecha country.  We walked to Lago de Pátzcuaro (Pátzcuaro Lake) which took us about 45 minutes along a pretty 2-lane road.  The lake is about 9 miles long and looks very polluted. There is an island in the middle that is inhabited and very popular because it has a huge statue of Morelos on the top of a hill in the middle of the island.  

After walking back to Pátzcuaro, we visited the 2 plazas in the town, the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud (Our Lady of Health), the Museo de Artes Populares, the Casa de los Once Patios (the house of the 11 courtyards) and the Marcado de Artesanías.

For pictures, click on this link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/regnor11/MoreliaAndPatzcuaro#

Coming next:  La basura (the garbage)

Angangueo and the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary

On February 13th, we took a bus to Zitácuaro and then caught another bus to Angangueo (pop. 5000, elev. 9779 ft) where we spent the night before heading up to the Santuario Mariposa Monarca (Monarch Butterfly Santuary).  Reed had read about this and suggested we go see it.  

"Every autumn, from late October to early November, millions of monarch butterflies arrive in these forested Mexican highlands for their winter hibernation, having flown from the Great Lakes region of the US and Canada, some 4500 km (2796 mi.).  At night and in the early morning the butterflies cluster together, covering whole oyenal (fir) trees and weighing down the branches.  As the day warms up, they begin to flutter around like gold and orange snowflakes, descending to the humid forest floor for the hottest part of the day.  In the warm spring temperatures of March the butterflies reach their sexual maturity and mate - abdomen to abdomen, with the males flying around carrying the females underneath.  The exhausted males die shortly afterward, and the pregnant females fly north to Texas, Florida and other sites in the southeastern US." (Lonely Planet Guide, 2006)  

As we were walking down the street in Angangueo on Sunday morning, a man driving a Bronco slowed down and asked us if we wanted to go to the Sanctuary.  Reed talked to him for a bit, negotiated a reasonable price and we hopped in.  After dropping his friend off, he drove us through town and up a steep paved road to a rough, dirt road.  We continued up this road for a bit before we came upon some men standing in the road.  Our driver told us that he had to pay a "toll" to these men so that he could drive us up to the Sanctuary.  The men didn't look official or anything but seemed like residents in that area that had found a way to make a few pesos.  

We continued up the dirt, pothole-laden road while our driver told us about the history of the town and the sanctuary during the 45 minute trip.  Up near the sanctuary, we passed by many houses that had no electricity or running water because they were far outside the city and close to the mountains.  When we arrived at the sanctuary, our driver said that he would wait for us, so we paid the entrance fee and started up the trail to the Mariposas.  It was about 4km (2.5 mi) up a trail through the forest which reminded me of the hikes we used to take in the forest near Bend, Oregon when I was a kid.  When we arrived at the site of the butterflies, there were a few flying around but a majority were on the fir tree branches, which made them look like trees with leaves.  After walking around a bit, we sat in a secluded place away from the crowds of people to have lunch.  As it got warmer, hundreds of the butterflies started flying around us! We could hear the swooshing of their wings and even the thump when they bumped into each other!  It was an incredible and fantastic experience that I will remember for my lifetime!

After returning to Angangueo, we had lunch at a restaurant and headed back to Cuernavaca with visions of dancing butterflies  in our heads....  :o)

For pictures, click on this link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/regnor11/AngangueoAndTheMonarchButterflySanctuary#

Coming next:  Morelia and Pátzcuaro

Tapachula and Guatamala

When I arrived in México, I was granted 180 days until my passport expired.  Reed and I talked to several people about whether or not I really needed to renew my passport.  Some said that I wouldn't have any problem if I didn't renew it and some said that I need to renew it or I might face penalties (monetary) when I crossed the border back to the US.  The size of the penalty depended on the custom agents at the US border, how nice they were and how kind they felt like being on that particular day.  We decided that being safe and getting it renewed might be the best thing to do.

A colleague of Reed's, Derrick, is teaching in Tapachula, Chiapas right on the border of Guatemala.  We decided that it would be a great opportunity to visit Derrick and then cross the border to renew my passport.  We took a plane to Tapachula (pop. 198,000, elev. 326 ft.) in early February.  Being in the south of México, Tapachula is very hot and humid all year round.   We arrived on Friday and took a taxi to the border of Guatemala.  We crossed (walking) into Guatemala, looked in some of the shops, and then ate lunch.  Derrick didn't feel it was the safest area so we didn't spend too much time there.  

On the way back, we stopped at the custom's office to get a stamp from Guatemala to prove that I had actually been out of México.  The customs agent said that I had to pay $400 pesos in order to get a stamp.  Derrick and Reed were kind enough to try to negotiate the price down because we had heard that we shouldn't have to pay anything.  Well it didn't work, so I paid the $400 pesos and got my stamp.  After we crossed back into México we had to stop at the customs office to get another stamp from México.  Of course, the customs agent said that we shouldn't have had to pay in Guatemala!  Oh well, sometimes you just have to play the game...

In addition, he gave me an official paper that I am suppose to present to the customs agent when I return to the US.  At that time, I am suppose to pay an additional $297 pesos!  As they say in México, "vale la pena" (it's worth it)!

With business being done, we were able to enjoy the rest of our trip.  The next day, we went to the beach and spent the day lounging under a palapa, eating, and drinking beer.  On Sunday, we took a taxi up to Unión Juárez which is a small pueblo below the dormant volcano, Tacaná.  The ride was a little crazy, the road was very curvy and on many occasions the taxi driver's wheels were screeching around the corners!  You have to trust these guys!  We ate breakfast, walked around the town, shopped and enjoyed the beautiful view.  Later we took a van, packed with about 20 people, back to Tapachula and later left on a 6pm flight.

For pictures, click on this link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/regnor11/TapachulaAndGuatemala#

Coming next:  Angangueo and the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary